POTSDAM, N.Y.- The SUNY Potsdam men's basketball team (4-15, 4-8 SUNYAC) battled until the final seconds against the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons (9-9, 8-3 SUNYAC) before falling 59-54.
 
WHAT HAPPENED

• The Bears had a 9-0 run on three straight 3-pointers from sophomore guard Mohammad Sylla (Bronx, N.Y./Darrow), sophomore guard Nicholas Cortez (Harlem, N.Y./La Salle Academy) and senior forward Walter deFreitas (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) to grab a 9-4 lead 4:47 into the contest.  
• The Red Dragons were able to get some momentum against the Bears towards the end of the first with some back-and-forth buckets, trimming the Bears' lead to 29-27 at the half.
• The Bears and the Red Dragons were evenly matched in the second half, trading leads throughout.
• A layup from senior forward Parker Kelly (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown) gave Potsdam a lead for the final time, 54-52 with 57 seconds to go.
• However, Cortland regained the lead for good 17 seconds later with a three from junior forward Aaron Coston (Kerhonkson, N.Y./Rondout Valley) and clinched the win from the free-throw line.

 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The Bears had their largest lead of the contest, 25-18, of the 4:01 mark in the first half.
• Cortez capped a strong week with 20 points and five rebounds to pace Potsdam.
• Sylla finished with a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds.
• Coston netted 21 points, five rebounds and two assists to lead the Red Dragons.
• Sophomore forward Joel Davis (Watertown, N.Y./Watertown) registered a double-double of 18 points and 16 rebounds for Cortland.

 
WHATS NEXT?
The Bears are on the road against SUNY Oneonta on Friday at 7:30 p.m.